Machine for separating ores.



No. 686,741. Patented Nov. l9, mm.

' s. n. KRUM.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING ORE'S.

- (Application filed Jan. 15, 1898.)

3 SheetS-Sh0et l.

(llo Model.)

N0. 686,744. Patented NOV. l9, |9D|. S. R. KRUM.

MACHINE FOR SEPABATING OBES.

(Application filed Jan. 15, 1898.)

s Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

m: uonms PETERS co. Pnmoumo" WASKINGTON, a c

No. 686,74l. Patented Nov. 19,1901.

s. n. KRUM. MACHINE FOR SEPARA'TING OBES.

(Application filed Jan. 15, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

mvgw ohn4: NORRIS PETERS co. mmournou wasnmc'ruu. n. c.

UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN R. KROM, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 686,741, datedNovember 19, 1901.

Application filed January 15, 1898. Serial No. 666,769. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN R. KROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented an Improvement in Machines for Separating Ores and otherGranular Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements upon separating-machines such asshownin my Patents Nos. 80,747, 81,794, and 121,526.

My present invention is made for rendering the machine more perfect inits construction and more durable and economical in its operation.

In the drawings, Figure l is an end elevation. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection without the delivery hopper and tube. Fig. 3 represents one ofthe orebed tubes with part of the exterior covering removed. Fig. 4 is acrosssection of four of such tubes. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of thebinding-strip and baseplate. Fig. 6 is an end view, and Fig. 7 is a planview, of the vibrating bellows-bottom. Figs. 8 and 9 show end and sideviews of the roller for the trip wheel, and Fig. 10 is a separate viewof the adjustable loop or strap. Fig. 11 is a rear elevation showing thesupply and delivery hoppers, and Fig. 12 is an end elevation. These twofigures are on a smaller scale than Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 13 is ahorizontal section through two of the tubes of the ore-bed correspondingin size to the parts shown in Fig. 4.

The side frames A Aare tied together by the bolts 13 B and interveningparts, and the machine will usually stand upon legs C. The power todrive the machine is derived from the shaft D, which may be actuated bysuitable power, and usually it is provided with the fly-wheel or pulleyD.

The ore or other granular substance is placed in the hopper E, from thelower end of which it passes upon the ore-bed tubes 0, and the lightermaterials are carried over the dam F, and the heavier materials go downbetween the tubes 0 into the hopper G, formed between the plate G andthe bellows-segment H. The pulverulent ore is to be supplied into thehopper E in whatever manner will insure regularity of feed, so that itwill pass out upon the ore-bed tubes with uniformity.

I prefer and use supply-pipes E and diverging tubes E leading thematerial equally into the different portions of the hopper E. Thisarrangement of supply-pipes is of special advantage where thesupply-hopper E is of considerable length. The ore or heavy material iscarried away gradually by the grooved roller K, which is revolvedprogress ively and delivers the material from the curved cheek-piece Kupon an incline or chute K that is placed between the frames A. Thebellows S gives motionto the fluid made use of in, separating thegranular materials according to gravity. Said bellows may be made tooperate upon air or Water. My apparatus is specially intended for apneumatic ore-separator; but it is not limited in that particular.

The bellows S is provided with a bottom plate a, perforated with rangesof holes, as seen in Fig. 7, and between these rows of holes the centralportions of the valve-strips b are secured, so that said strips coverthe rows of holes when resting on the plate or open and admit theatmosphere uniformly when the bellows-bottom is being depressed. Beneaththe plate a there are the longitudinal supporting-bars d d, and theserest upon and are attached to the arms cl, that extend out from and arekeyed to the bellows rockshaft (2. The face of the bellows-segment H isa segment of a cylinder described from the center of the rock-shaft 6,so that the edge of the bottom plate 01. moves close to the same. To thebottom plate a over the rock-shaft e is attached the flexible back f ofthe bellows. This isclamped above between the edge of the topbellowsplate j and the clampingstrip f This prevents leakage at the backof the bellows.

In order to move the rock-shaft c of the bellows, I employ the lever-armg and tripwheel h, the latterbeing formed of a circular range ofcam-teeth, that act against a roller 13, attached to the bellows-leverg. This roller is in a jaw, (seen in Figs. 8 and 9,) such jaw beingbolted to the bellows-lever or otherwise connected thereto. The helicalspring I is attached at one end to the bellows-lever g and at the otherend to the screw 1', the nuts of which are used to adjust the screw andvary the tension of the spring, so as to give the same more or lesspower to move the bellows. As each trip-wheel tooth passes off fromcontact with the roller 2' the bellows is suddenly actuated by thespring Z to give a puff of air or other fluid through the ore-bed, ashereinafter more fully set forth, and to prevent the roller 1 strikingat the base of the teeth I employ the strap 97., extending from a loopat the end of the bellows-lever to the adjustable loop n, (seenseparately in Fig. 10,) by means of which the bellows-lever is limitedin its movement to vary the amount of air ejected through the ore-bedand to prevent concussion. Upon the trip-wheel there are radial jaws 19,into which is introduced a movable crank-pin g, which may be adjustedand clamped at any desired distance from the center of the driving-shaftD, so as to give more or less motion to the pawl 1", which acts upon theratchet-wheel 1" of the deliveryroller K, so as to cause the material tobe delivered more or less rapidly, according to the material that isbeing separated.

The ore-bed O is made of a range of tubes or inverted troughs, eachbeing oblong by preference in cross-section. The sides and top areperforated, and the base of each tube next to the bellows isstrengthened bya U-shaped plate 8, that is preferably soldered at itsends to the perforated tube or trough. The perforated portions of theore-bed tubes are made of two thicknesses, the inner or foundation beingstrong netting with large openings, the outer portion being thinwire-netting and having fine openings. By this means I secure thenecessary strength and at the same time obtain great uniformity in thedistribution of the air. The lower edges of the foundation and coveringare secured together by the clampingstrips 1;, and these may be pressedon, soldered, or otherwise secured in place. At the ends of the tubesnext to the dam F the ore-bed tubes are closed by a metal end 1),soldered into place, and these are fastened to the plate F by screws,and thelower edge of this plate 0 passes between the plate G and the damF, and said dam is fastened to the plate G by screws. At the back endsthe ore-bed tubes open into the bellows S, and there is a notchedreceiving bar or frame o below the base of the hopper, into which thesaid ore bed tubes are received and through which they open into thebellows.

It is now to be understood that the ore or other material to beseparated passes down from the hopper upon the ore-bed tubes and thatthe puffs of fluid from the bellows pass through the said tubes andraise the lighter particles and pass them toward the deliverydam F; butthe heavier particles remain nearest to and rest upon the bed-tubes andgradually pass down between said tubes into the hopper G and are finallydelivered by the roller K and according to the rapidity of delivery, sothe material will pass more or less rapidly down between the ore-bedtubes. If the delivery by the roller K is slow, the refuse or lightermaterial passed over the dam F will be greater in proportion than with amore rapid delivery by the roller K. The lighter materials that pass bythe action of the air over the dam F fall down into the trunk N, Figs.11 and 12, that extends across behind and below the dam, and the hingedfiap N has a lip extending at a sufficient distance above the dam toform a long narrow mouth for the lighter materials to pass through asthey escape over the dam and fall down into the trunk N and thence tothe hoppers N and discharge tubes or spouts Q Q; but the trunk N may beused without the flap N, if desired.

In consequence of using arms cl, extending out from the rock-shaft c,and having upon these arms crossing-bars a, the bottom of the bellowscan be made very light and of a sheet of metal or similar thin material,with the air-holes through the same in one or more rows and a strip ofleather fastened so as to close upon the row of holes or open for theadmission of air, and by extending the flexible strip f upward andclamping it by the bar f there are no parts'in the way of access to theshaft 6 and the arms connected thereupon. Hence the movingbellows-bottom is easy of access, so as to be kept in order. By makingthe ore-bed of hollow tubes, with open-work at the sides and top coveredwith a fine wire-cloth in the manner shown, the lower edges of the sidesare protected by the folded strips 1) and the ends of the tubes next tothe bellows are strengthened and supported by the trough-shaped piecesof metal 3, that rest upon the cross-bar 11 so as to makea very firm andreliable connection near the bellows, and the plates '0 come within theopen-work tubes adjacent to the dam and are firmly connected to theopen-work, and these plates o are fastened to the plate F, Fig. 3, andprevent the possibility of any separation of the parts at the dam end ofthe tubes of the ore-bed.

The flap N when turned down gives access to the hoppers N and permits ofa rod being introduced and passed into either of the spouts Q to' forcethe material out of the spout into the main discharge-pipe in case aspout should become obstructed by the lighter material in the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus for separating ore andsimilar granular substances, a bed upon which the ore is received formedof tubes of open work material covered with fine wire-netting and havingstrips at the bottom'edges of the sides for holding the materialstogether, a cross-bar and trough-shaped plates for supporting theore-bed tubes at their ends adja-' cent to the bellows, and plates 0)firmly secured within the open-work tubes and adjacent to the dam,substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for separating ore and similar granular substances, abed upon which the ore is received formed of tubes of openwork materialcovered with fine wire-netting and having strips at the bottom edges ofthe sides for holding the materials together, a cross-bar andtrough-shaped plates for sup porting the ore-bed tubes at their ends adjacent to the bellows, plates o firmly secured within the open-work tubesat one side of the ore-receiving bed, a dam adjacent to and parallelwith said plates o, hoppers along one side of and belowsaid ore-bed anddischargepipes therefrom, a flap hinged to and extending upward fromsaid hoppers, a receivinghopper upon the opposite side of theore-receiving bed, and an adjustable device at the mouth of the hopperfor regulating the supply of material upon the ore-receiving bed,substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for separating ore and similar granular substances,abed upon which the ore is received formed of tubes of openwork materialcovered with fine wire-netting and having strips at the bottom edges ofthe sides for holding the materials together, a cross-bar andtrough-shaped plates for supporting the ore-bed tubes at their endsadjacent to the bellows, plates 1; firmly secured within the open-worktubes at one side of the ore-receiving bed, a dam adjacent to andparallel with said plates 1), hoppers along one side of said ore-bed anddischarge-pipes therefrom, a receiving-hopper upon the opposite side ofthe ore-receiving bed, and an adj ustable device at the mouth of thehopper for regulating the supply of material upon the ore-receiving bed,substantially as set forth.

4. In'an ore-separator and in combination, a rock-shaft and means foractuating the same, arms d carried by said rock-shaft,bars d restingupon and secured to the arms (1' and at right angles thereto, a plate aof sheet metal perforated with a series of parallel rows of holes andsecured to the bars 61 which bars are situated between the series ofholes, flexible valve-strips secured to the said perforated platesbetween the rows of holes of each series parallel with and intermediateto the said bars d a stationary top plate over the said perforatedplate, a flexible connectingstrip attached respectively to the plate aand the top plate f and forming with the adjacent parts a substantiallybellows structure, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an ore-separator, the combination with the ore-receiving bedformed of tubes of openwork material covered with fine wire-netting andhaving strips at the bottom edges of the sides for holding the materialstogether, a cross-bar and trough-shaped plates for supporting theore-bed tubes at their ends adjacent to the bellows, of the hoppers Nfor the lighter materials to pass through, discharge= pipes therefrom, ahinged flap N connected to the said hoppers, said flap having a lip atright angles thereto extending horizontally above the dam to form amouth for the lighter materials to pass into the hopper, the said pipesextending from the bottom of the hoppers to convey away the lightermaterials, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 11th day of January, 1898.

STEPHEN R. KROM. Witnesses:

GEo. T. PINCKNEY, E. E. POI-ILE.

